Barefoot
by HummusIsYummus
Summary: It's just after the Yule Ball and Draco finds himself a very upset Hermione.
1. Barefoot

Barefoot

Draco was exhausted. He could hardly wait to get to his warm bed, waiting for him in hisdorm. The night had been successful. Pansy had finally let him kiss her, something he had been trying to do for months. He had been able to see his favourite band play live for the fourth time, The Weird Sisters. And of course, he could openly gawk at Granger, because everyone else was doing it too. Her and Krum? What the hell was that? Well, at least the whole school now knew why Krum always detoured around her, hung out in the library, and asked anyone who knew her questions about her. But the thing that got to him most was that now the whole school knew she was very pretty and not just Draco, who couldn't help but look at her from time to time. The nagging thought made him groan in frustration. She was supposed to be his guilty pleasure and his alone.

Draco shook his head, smiling to himself as swung his dancing shoes over his shoulder.

Granger. She was something. Someone who was always in the back of his mind. Someone that he couldn't deny that he liked, but hated denying it. Draco whipped his head back, causing his blonde tresses to fall back on to his forehead rather than settling in his enchanting grey eyes. Somewhere, between dancing the night away and kissing with Pansy, his hair had decided to take on a life of its own. He had just walked out of the Great Hall, knowing Pansy had gone off with her friends somewhere, when--speak of the devil, there was the girl who had decided to set in his mind like oatmeal did to his stomach on a cold morning.

He leaned his shoulder against the wall and crossed his arms as he watched her send up the two idiots she called friends and fall gracefully onto the stairs, crying, her dress deflating as she did so. Weasley whispered something to Boy Wonder as they went up the stairs, causing her to let out a sob. Even when she was at her worst, she looked lovely. Draco definitely couldn't deny that. Her face was blotchy, not at all like it had looked earlier. Her hair was beginning to fall out of the beautiful knot it was in, the curls framing her face. She pulled her shoes off too, her sobs slowly becoming louder. Draco licked his lips and looked over his right shoulder. Mostly everyone was still in the Great Hall, or elsewhere with their dates. He approached her slowly. He settled down next to her on the step and took a deep breath. Hermione hadn't seemed to realize he was there.

"Granger, come on. I hate it when women cry," he said with as much sympathy as he could muster. Hermione looked up at him, her large brown eyes puffy and red, the silk of her pink dress beginning to stain with her tears.

"Go away! Go away before I get Moody out here to turn you back into the rodent that you are." She stood up, her left palm rubbing the tears away from her eye. Draco ignored the reminder of his unlucky encounter with the new Defense teacher.

"Wait." Draco stood up, grabbing her arm. Hermione looked at where he was touching

her. His hand was sweaty and it gripped her like a vice. Though she had calmed down from crying, her emotion quickly changed to anger towards Malfoy.

"Let go of me!" She said firmly, tugging her arm slightly. He didn't let go. Hermione filled her lungs with air. "I said let go of me, Malfoy!" Her eyes narrowed.

"What's really the matter? No reason for anyone to be crying on a night like this." Draco raised an eyebrow. Hermione searched his grey eyes for something, anything to give away what he was really up to. She, like Harry and Ron, never trusted him. He had always never given her a reason before to trust him.

"Slag off, Malfoy. Don't you have anything better to do, like...I don't know, see if Pansy is up to a snog or whatever it is that you oh so superior pureblood Slytherins do? You don't even know me! Why should I tell you anything?"

"Listen." Draco's grip on her arm tightened. For a moment, Hermione thought he was going to hurt her. Draco stepped closer, and Hermione could smell the scent of his sweet cologne on his black dress robes. It smelt good. She gulped as she watched his eyes haze

over. "When somebody asks you a question, you answer. You don't come up with some snarky retort and leave. So I'm going to ask once more. What the hell is wrong?" Draco asked, his voice low and stern, his eyes boring into her.Hermione took a step back, going down one stair, falling out of Draco's grip. She took a deep breath and settled back down to where she was sitting before, her cheeks cradled in the palm of her hands. She didn't dare look at him as she spoke. All the hatred and anger that she had towards Ron came back. Of course, he had to ruin the most perfect night.

"It's just, why does he think I'm not capable of being asked out? I am a girl. I want to be desired. I want to feel...well, wanted. And Viktor's been so...obvious that he wants me. And it felt good. For once in my life, I felt as if I, Hermione, could be capable of attracting a boys attention!" She let out a little laugh, a tear escaping, giving her away. "He makes me feel more than what I really am. He makes me feel...beautiful." She choked on the last word. She shook her head, standing up, her voice once again back to its firm manner. "And then Ron goes and gets jealous after he realizes that maybe I am...a girl. Not just his and Harry's homework buddy. And why am I telling you this, Malfoy?" She looked at him and sighed. "Why are you even here? Why have you not said one hateful thing to me? Are you feeling okay?" She looked at him, mock concern on her face. This definitely was strange.

Draco smirked. "Of course I feel okay. Everyone needs to vent once in a while though, and they need someone to listen. I hate Weasley as much as Goyle hates soap and listening to someone else complain about him once in a while is a nice change. As for attracting boys, news to you, Granger, if you just took your head out of those books once in a while and looked around you, I'm sure you'd find a lot of boys who liked you, and maybe one certain bo..."

"Herm-own-ninny!" They both turned their heads to find Viktor Krum, standing there in

the regal robes worn by all of Durmstrang students, a relieved look on his face. "There you are! I just vanted to say good night."

Hermione blushed furiously. She turned away from Draco and rushed over to where Krum was standing.

"Oh Viktor." She smiled. "That's very sweet." She began tucking the curls around her face behind her ear.

"Can I valk you back to your common room?"

"Yes. I'd really like that." Hermione nodded. Draco noticed she was standing straighter

and even though she had lost an earring, and was barefoot, he could see she couldn't care less. He watched them as Viktor gave her his arm and she linked hers through it, her other hand holding her shoes and the small pink beaded bag she was carrying and they walked up the stairs past him. Draco shook his head and began walking towards the dungeons, his shoes thrown over his left shoulder. He picked up the earring she had left behind and put it into his pocket after looking at it quickly. That had been close.


	2. Mixed Emotions

1Draco lay in bed and thought hard about what Hermione had said to him.

_"I want to be desired. I want to feel... well, wanted. He makes me feel more than what I really am. He makes me feel... beautiful."_

How could a git like Krum make her feel like that? Draco knew she deserved much better. Obviously, Weasley didn't have the ability to make her feel like that and an oaf like Krum could. He could make her feel like that too. And much more. He wanted her to know she was beautiful, not just feel beautiful. He wanted her to know that she was desired by him. And this was when Draco began formulating a new plan. He was going to persue Hermione Granger.

The next morning, Draco woke up bright and early. As it was the day after Christmas, not many students were found in the Great Hall eating breakfast yet, it wasn't even ten. But there she was, Miss Granger, sitting alone at the Gryfindor table, the Daily Prophet sprawled out before her as she nibbled on some toast.

Draco stood where he was for a moment. He knew he wanted her. He knew he was ready to make her feel more than what she felt she was worth. But did he really have it in him to do so? He had to think what his father would say. He would hate him for knowing he longed for a Muggle born. It wouldn't even matter if she was a beautiful Muggle born. But what did it matter? He was fourteen. And Draco was used to getting what he wanted. Maybe he'd have to be extra sneaky with Hermione. Talking to her at night, outside of the Great Hall was one thing, but holding her under a tree by the lake on a Sunday afternoon was another.

He thought for a moment. He couldn't do it. He didn't have the nerve to stand up to his father and tell him he really liked Harry Potter's best friend. He was stupid for even entertaining the notion. He sighed and dropped his head, leaving the Great Hall. Draco stuck his hands in his pockets and that was when he felt it. The tiny earring. He took it out and stared at it as it sat in his palm. They'd both be missing out on something great. Hermione would be stuck with Vikor Krum for the rest of her life. Nothing great to look at but someone who made her feel slightly better than the way Weasley made her feel. Draco knew he was above them. He was the best. And didn't the best girl deserve the best? He smiled. He had to do this.

Draco walked towards the Gryfindor table, the earring now clenched in his fist. Draco approached Hermione, standing over her shoulder, and cleared his throat.

Hermione jumped in her seat, putting a hand to her heart. 

"Oh." She let out a little squeak. She looked up, a bit confused, to see Draco Malfoy standing there.

"Malfoy." she gasped. 

"Good morning." He nodded his head. 

"Good morning." She replied, a little apprehensively. Hermione wasn't sure what it was Draco wanted, or why he had helped her last night. But she figured if she was ever going to figure him out, she'd have to talk to him. She waited for him to say something. Draco licked his lips. He hadn't planned on what he'd say to her. 

"Is there anything I can do for you?" Hermione looked at him quizically. 

"Umm..." Draco had no idea what to do. He always had something to say and now, he was tongue tied. He was caught off guard. He hadn't made a plan. 

Hermione raised an eyebrow. She noticed his right hand was clenched. He must have been nervous. But why? 

"I just wanted to make sure Krum got you back to your dorm alright last night." Draco decided to say. Hermione smiled.

"Yes, he did." 

"Are you feeling alright now then?" Draco squinted his grey eyes and stared at her. He didn't realize how uncharacteristic he might be seeming to her. Whenever they spoke prior to last night, he had never given her a chance to get to like him. He was annoying, snotty and had a very big ego. Or so Hermione thought. And that was exactly the perception of him she couldn't stop thinking about.

Draco just asked whatever popped into this head at the moment to save the situation. He didn't want her to embarrass him.

But Hermione hadn't seen it that way. She figured he had come to embarrass her. Hermione gathered her newspaper and stood up.

"I should have known better than tell you how I felt. My moment of weakness is now you're way of having this hold over me." She muttered as she scrambled to get away. "That's low, Malfoy. Even for you."

"What?" Draco looked at her quizzically. He could begin his heart begin to sink into his stomach. This had been a bad idea. "I was just asking if you were feeling alright. That's all."

"Right. Where are the other Slytherins? Probably watching from outside of the Great Hall, waiting for a good laugh." Hermione felt hurt. And betrayed. She knew she shouldn't have broken down, especially in front of Malfoy, about Ron. But she hadn't expected him to tell the other students of his house and then find amusement in her sorrow.

"Granger. I didn't tell anyone." Draco felt like yelling. He could feel his head start to whirl. He grabbed her arm roughly, just as he did the night before. "I'm sorry if you think all Slytherins are slimy creatures, but I was just trying to be friendly."

"Why? So you can laugh at me some more? I don't need more people to be my enemies, Malfoy." She tried to pull away. The few students that were in the Great Hall began to look at their little scene, a bit interested in why Draco Malfoy was holding Hermione Granger's arm as she struggled to pull away.

"I don't want to be your enemy, Hermione. I just wanted to give this back." He threw the little earring at her. Hermione caught it in one hand and stared at it. She raised an eyebrow and stared at him inquiringly.

"Why do you have my earring, Malfoy?" Her voice was hushed and she was really beginning to wonder what he wanted if he wasn't there to mock her.

"You left it on the staircase last night." Draco answered.

Hermione was left speechless. She had never felt so humiliated in her life. She was sure he was there to make her feel worse, but all he was doing was returning her little earring. She hadn't even realized she'd lost it.

"Thank you." she whispered. She couldn't find a way to get herself out of this one. "I'm sorry for acting so rudely. You just caught me off guard."

"Don't I always? See you around, love." He winked and with a smirk he was off to the Slytherin table for his own breakfast.


End file.
